TURKEY/EU: DUCH PM'S DEC 9 DINNER WITH ERDOGAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 003223

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2014
TAGS: AORC CY GR NL PREL TU EUN
SUBJECT: TURKEY/EU: DUCH PM'S DEC 9 DINNER WITH ERDOGAN


Classified By: DCM Daniel Russel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) PM Balkenende's focus at dinner with PM Erdogan in
Brussels tonight, December 9, is to seek an agreement over
how Turkey can adequately indicate recognition of Cyprus in
the context of accession negotiations, Jochem Wiers (MFA EU
Enlargement office and main drafter of accession texts for
Turkey) told Poloff December 9. Turkey continues to indicate
its "readiness to do something" on the issue while Cyprus
continues to demand that the Council Conclusions contain
explicit language on recognition, he revealed. The Dutch
continue to advocate that the Turks make a "clear indication
of intent to sign the protocol" by or at the December 17
Summit, whether by letter to the Commission or by a
declaration.


2. (C) Poloff noted concern about recent press reports of
PM Balkenende's having linked Turkey's signing the protocol
to satisfying the recognition demands of Cyprus rather than
fulfilling a Commission requirement to extend the agreement
to all new member states. At first, Wiers said the PM had
been misquoted and that he appreciated the sensitivity and
strategy. He then stepped back a bit by adding that
"everyone knows it has to do with Cyprus" and that "Turkey
needed to make the right gesture to Cyprus." Poloff
reiterated the USG suggestion that the medicine might go down
smoother if the Turks were encouraged to move on a
"Commission demand" rather than a "Cypriot one."


3. (C) Poloff also raised USG concern over recent press
reports that falsely attributed Ambassador Kennedy with
putting "unhelpful" pressure on the EU regarding the Cyprus
issue. Wiers waved his hand and dismissed the press reports
and said both that the Dutch are comfortable with the US
position and that they do not reply to "that kind of press"
which is "so often wrong." Wiers promised to relay the gist
of our conversation and assurances to Hannie Pollman-Zall
(MFA Director for Central and Eastern Europe and Amb.
Kennedy's interlocutor at the recent US-EU COSEE).
RUSSEL